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Protecting Children
in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program
by Michael Medaris and Cathy Girouard
Introduction
Background
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program
Challenges of Cyberspace Policing
Conclusion
For Further Information
Additional Resources
References
NCJ 191213
This Bulletin was prepared by Michael Medaris,
Senior Program Manager of OJJDP’s Child
Protection Division, and Cathy Girouard,
Program Manager of OJJDP’s Child Protection
Division.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention is a component of the Office of
Justice Programs, which also includes the
Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of
Justice Statistics, the National Institute of
Justice, and the Office for Victims of Crime.
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A Message From OJJDP
Children have embraced the Internet
with remarkable alacrity, as they go
online to learn, play, and communicate
with their friends. The Internet clearly
influences how a growing number of
children discover and interact with the
world around them.
Unfortunately, cyberspace is not always
a safe place for youngsters to
visit. Some sex offenders use the privacy
and anonymity of the Internet to
prey on vulnerable children and teenagers,
whose Internet access is often
unsupervised. In exchanging child pornography
or seeking victims online,
sex offenders may face little risk of
interdiction of their criminal activities.
To combat computer-facilitated sex
crimes, the Office of Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency Prevention funds
the Internet Crimes Against Children
(ICAC) Task Force Program, which
protects children in cyberspace.
Although apprehending sex offenders
who use the Internet to facilitate their
crimes presents significant challenges,
the ICAC Program can help State
and local law enforcement agencies
to develop an effective response to
online enticement and child pornography
cases. Included in this response
are community education, forensic,
investigative, and victim service
components.
We encourage parents, policymakers,
and practitioners to use the information
provided by this Bulletin to help create
an Internet environment in which children
can safely play, learn, and grow.
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